Dallas Cowboys: Is Byron Jones now the odd man out?

The Dallas Cowboys are in several contract negotiations with some of their top players. Unfortunately, Byron Jones may now be out of their price range.

The Dallas Cowboys have been dealing with a situation most teams would love and hate. Having an abundance of really good players but only being able to sign a few to new contracts. Well, it’s looking more and more like Byron Jones is going to be the odd man out in the group.

I say that because of another contract that a top cornerback has just received. Xavien Howard of the Miami Dolphins just signed a five year, $76.5 million dollar contract with $ 46 million guaranteed. That contract now makes him the highest paid cornerback in NFL history.

The Cowboys know they are going to pay quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, and wide receiver Amari Cooper this season. Now thanks to Howard’s deal we know that Jones will be looking for something either in that price range or higher and that’s a price the Cowboys may not be comfortable paying.

Now you can’t really compare Jones and Howard’s stats because Jones has moved from cornerback to safety and now back to cornerback while Howard has just been a cornerback his entire career. But I will and Jones over his career has 284 tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and 37 passes defended in his career. While Howard has 123 tackles, one forced fumble, 11 interceptions, and 31 passes defended.

The stats as a whole look better for Jones but he also was in the league a year earlier and has stayed healthy most of his career. Yet, while Jones had a great season at cornerback last year, he’s now recovering from hip surgery and if you take into account his lack to defensive takeaways then you’re looking at a situation where the Cowboys may not feel comfortable paying a second defensive player top money for that position.

Unless the Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones can work his magic and get players to talk a little bit less on their deals I believe that this will be Byron Jones last season with a star on his helmet.